Italian Rum Cake Recipes

Steps:

• 1. **Sponge Cake Directions:** Preheat Oven @ 375 Butter and Flour (2) 8-9" cake pans, set aside. 1. Beat egg yolks and sugar in bowl till Lemon colored. 2. Add Flour Sifted, little at a time, Blend well. 3. Add Vanilla 4. Beat Egg Whites till stiff but not dry, Fold into batter. 5. Pour batter into Prepared Pans. 6. Bake 40 min. or til toothpick inserted comes out clean. 7. remove from oven, invert cake out of the pans, onto rack to cool completely. 8. Note: Cake Can be Tightly wrapped and refrigerated over night or frozen up to 3 weeks.
• 2. **RUM SYRUP DIRECTIONS:** Method #1. Mix together ingredients in small pot, Bring to boil, stirring til sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool before using. When Cool, Brush genouously over cake. METHOD #2. If you prefer, Brush cake with 1/3 Cup Rum diluted with 1/4 Cup water.
• 3. **ITALIAN PASTRY CREAM:** 1. Mix Sugar, egg, flour & Vanilla in a saucepan. 2. in seperate Pan, Scald Milk. 3. "Very Slowly pour milk over egg yolks" in a thin stream as to not Cook the eggs. Beating constantly with mixer. 4. Cooking over low heat, stir with wooden spoon, until mixture reaches boiling point. Cook for 4 min longer, must stir constantly. 5. Remove pan from heat, add butter, and stirr well. Pour into Bowl Cover and Chill . Stir occasionally to prevent film from forming on top of custard cream. 6. chill 3-4 hrs til very thick for use as filling.
• 4. ** WHIPPED CREAM** Stabilized 1. in a large Chilled Bowl. Put bowl in freezer to chill. chill beaters also. 2.Beat cold Cream until it just starts to thicken. 3. add Corn syrup, & vanilla down the Sides of the cold Bowl. 4. Beat to stiff peaks form.
• 5. ** ASSEMBLY OF CAKE** 1. Slice Cake in 1/2 to form two layers. 2. Slice the two layers in 1/2 again making 4 thin layers. 3. Place bottom layer on plate cut side up brush with rum syrup becarful not to get cake too wet, or the layers will be soggy.. allow to soak in for about 5 min. 4. Brush rum on the remaining layers on cut side up evenly with the rum. do not saturate the layers. You only want to flavor the cakes by brushing the rum on the cakes. (Do Not Saturate the layers) 5.Top bottom layer with the vanilla pastry cream, filling. 6. then another layer of rum brushed sponge cake. 7. Next a layer of the Whipped Cream 8. top with another layer of the Sponge layer cake 9. another layer of the pastry cream 10. last layer of the sponge cake 11. top entire cake & sides with whip Cream. reserving Enough whipped cream for making Roseettes on top of the cake. 12 final step cover entire sides of the cake with the Sliced almonds.
• 6. This cake is TOTALLY WORTH every bit of the Effort. TIP: I take one layer and cut the Cake in 1/2. following steps, 1,2,3 and I make (2) cakes out of the recipe. How about that. . . 2 cakes in one. It is just too much cake & 2 many layers for one Cake.

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with circles of waxed paper or parchment. Using an electric mixer with a large bowl, begin to beat the eggs at low speed. Gradually add the sugar and then add the vanilla. Increase the speed to high. Beat the eggs until very thick and pale yellow, about 7 minutes. Place the flour in a mesh strainer. Shake about 1/3 of the flour over the egg mixture. Gently fold in the flour with a rubber spatula. Repeat, adding the flour in 2 more additions. Fold the mixture until all the flour is incorporated. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared cake pans; smooth the tops. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should spring back when pressed with a finger and the top is lightly browned. Place the cake pans on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and remove the pans. Carefully peel off the paper. Let cool completely before adding rum, filling, and icing. PREPARE THE CREAM FILLING: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. In a bowl, whisk together milk and egg yolks Whisk milk mixture into sugar mixture. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Transfer 2/3 of the pastry cream to a bowl. Add the chopped chocolate to the cream remaining in the saucepan. Stir the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer the chocolate pastry cream to another bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry creams. Allow to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until cold. ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: Cut both cake layers in half horizontally. Place one of the layers on a serving dish, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake (you want to moisten it without soaking it.) Spread half of the vanilla pastry cream evenly over the cake. Top with a second layer of cake, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake. Spread all of the chocolate pastry cream over the cake. Top with the third layer of cake, cut side up. Brush some of the rum over the cake. Spread the remaining vanilla pastry cream evenly over the cake. Top with the final layer of cake, cut side down. Refrigerate the cake while you prepare the icing. To make the icing and garnish the cake: Beat the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Frost sides and top of cake, reserving some of the cream to pipe stars. Put the reserved whipped cream in a pastry bag; set aside. With the palm of your hand, press the almonds onto the side of the cake. Using the pastry bag, pipe stars around the bottom and top edge of the cake. MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Put the chopped chocolate and cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 25-30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Heat for additional time if the chocolate is not completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature. Apply the chocolate ganache in a decorative design to the top of the cake. You may also use the ganache to write a Happy Birthday or other message on the top. Refrigerate the cake until serving. OPTIONAL BUTTERCREAM ICING: If you'd rather have a buttercream frosting instead of a whipped cream frosting, this is the recipe I'd recommend. It gives the finished cake a different flavor. With an electric mixer, beat together the shortening and butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the salt, vanilla, and cream. Blend on low until the mixture is smooth. Increase the speed to high, and beat until the icing is fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: Pour the milk into a medium saucepan set over low heat. Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and pinch of salt, and bring the milk to a simmer, just to dissolve the sugar.
• Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. While whisking, slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs to temper them, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat, and cook, stirring and whisking, until the mixture just simmers and thickens. Immediately remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl to cool. Mix in the chocolate and orange peel. Refrigerate until chilled and thickened, at least 1 hour.
• For the sugar syrup: Bring 3 cups water and 1 cup of the sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Boil until reduced by about a quarter. Remove from heat, stir in the rum, and let cool completely.
• When you are ready to assemble the zuppa, whip the cream and remaining 1/4 cup sugar to form soft peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream, along with the cinnamon, into the chilled pastry cream.
• Make a flat layer with half of the savoiardi in a 9-by-13-inch Pyrex or ceramic dish. Brush with half of the sugar syrup to moisten, then spread half of the pastry cream on top. Top with another layer of savoiardi, and brush on the remaining syrup. Spread the rest of the pastry cream over top in an even layer, then spread with the whipped cream. If you have any savoiardi left, crumble them over the top. Chill several hours, or overnight, to let the flavors blend before serving.